‘Jose’ blows farther away
MANILA, Philippines–Typhoon “Jose” (international name: Halong) moved farther away from the country’s northern tip but continued to enhance the southwest monsoon, bringing heavy rain once again over Metro Manila and surrounding provinces.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the eye of the typhoon was estimated at 745 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
It is forecast to move farther from Basco Wednesday and is expected to be outside the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday morning heading toward Japan.
The weather bureau did not raise any public storm warning signals, as it said Jose did not directly affect any part of the country although it has enhanced the southwest monsoon.
The 10th typhoon to enter the country this year, Jose slightly weakened Tuesday and was estimated to pack maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness up to 185 kph.
It also slightly slowed down although it continued to move north northwest at 13 kph.
Metro Manila and neighboring Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan and Zambales provinces experienced heavy rainfall Tuesday.
Light to moderate rains with occasional heavy rains were felt over Rizal and parts of Laguna, Batangas, Quezon, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija, according to Pagasa.
Eight barangays (villages) in two Bataan towns and another two towns in Zambales experienced flooding on Monday, according to reports reaching the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC).
Floodwaters in Hermosa and Mariveles in Bataan reached more than a meter high in some places, while in Narciso, Zambales, floodwaters reached half a meter.
The heavy downpour on Monday prompted local officials to suspend classes all levels in Cavite and Bataan.
Two roads in Mt. Province were closed because of rockslides and landslides, according to the NDRRMC. These were the Mt. Province-Ilocos Sur Road and the Junction-Talubin-Barlig-Nantonin-Paracelis-Calaccad Road.
